Garment-hanger retainer



De'cIl3, 1927.

J. RITTER, JR.,- ET AL GARMENT HANGER RETAINER Flled Julyll. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

BY 1 ,2 I W M Jnrw,

A TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 13, 1927. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS BITTER, 33., AND MARTIN RASMUSSEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS T0 HARTMANN TRUNK COMPANY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 01' WISCONSIN.

GARMENT-HANGER RETAINER.

Application filed July 11, 1925. Serial No. 42,896.

This invention relates to improvements in garmenthanger retainers and more particularly with relation to means for retaining the hangers in place upon which garments are draped.

Trunks of the wardrobe type have garments suspended from hangers usually horizontally mounted on tracks in the upper portion of the wardrobe section of the trunk. The wardrobe section of the trunk is provided with a top cover and this cover is usually provided with means for holding the hangers in position on the tracks and the garments on the hangers.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide agarment hanger retainer means in which the hangers are engaged'by a means positioned below the tracks for holding the hangers in position onthe tracks.

A further object of the inventlon s to rovide a garment hanger retainer having a liver means for firmly holding the hangers which may be easily released to permit removal of any of the hangers with the garments thereon.

A further object of the invention 18 provide a garment hanger retainer which is also adapted to hold the hangers in spaced relation on the tracks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment retainer which is of simple construction, is easy to operate and is well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe parts and com binations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l isa frontview of the upper portion of the wardrobe section of a trunk shown provided with the improved garment hanger retainer;

Fig. 2 is an inner side view of one of the retainer devices shown mounted on a. side portion of a trunk;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig.- 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the operating lever and adjacent parts;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken on line 5'5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is asectional detail view on a larger scale taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing one of the holding members in its upper nonholding position.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 indicates the upper portion of the wardrobe section of a wardrobe trunk, 11 the hanger tracks thereof, 12 the garment hangers and 13 reinforcing side flanges of the side portions of the trunk section. The garment hangers 12 are formed with upper transverse bar portions 14 over which garments are folded, notched or recessed under edge portions 15 which engage the tracks, coat hanger portions 16, and depending inverted T-shaped stem portions 16. The horizontal bar portions 16 of the stems are also provided with track recesses 17 which will engage the tracks when the hen ers are inverted. Brackets 18, of angular orm in cross section, are mounted on the opposite inner sides of the wardrobe section adjacent the end portions of the stem 16". The lower angular portions '18 of the brackets incline upwardly, inwardly, to act as ides for the lower ends of the hangers 1n the event they should swing from one side to the other. Rods 19 positioned above the brackets 18 and journaled in bearings 20 are each formed with double cranked portions 21 to receive connecting members 22. One end of each cranked rod is bent downwardly at right angles to form an operating handle 23 and the lower end portion of each handle is. bent inwardly and upwardly to provide an upward extension 24 which is engaged by a latch pin 25. A flat spring 26 mounted at'one end on the outer side of the reinforcing-side flanges 13 is connected at its opposite end to the latch pin 25 and yieldingly holds said pin in its locking position. To permit the locking pin to be easily withdrawn from looking position, the said spring 26- is curved outwardly and the reinforcing flange 13 is bent inwardly as indicated by the numeral 27 so that the spring may be easily engaged by the fingers of the userto release the operating handle 23.

The lower end portions of the connecting members 22 are bent to form eyes 22 to which other link members 28 are pivotally connected. The inner ends of the last mentioned members are pivotally journaled in bearing members 29 positioned adjacent the angular brackets 18. The lower ends of the connecting members 22 also have connected thereto folded strips of yielding material forming elongated pads 30 which bear on the upper edges of the T-shaped stem portions 16 when the handle members are swung downwardly and inwardly to locked position. When the handles are thus swung, the pads will engage the hangers and firmly hold them in position on the tracks 11 against vertical or lateral movement. As the pads are formed of yielding material the hanger edges will imbed therein and prevent lateral movement. The upper edge portions of the pads are secured in elongated U-shaped strips of metal 31 which are fastened to the connecting members 22 by rivets 23 or any other means desired.

As the transverse hanger portion 16 is approximately the same width as the part l l, the hanger may be placed upside down and clamped in position in the same manner.

From the foregoing description it willbc seen that the garment hanger retainer is of very simple construction, is easily operated and is well adapted for the purpose "described. 7

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A garment hanger retainer, comprising a wardrobe trunk section having spaced hanger tracks in its upper portion, a garment hanger suspended from the tracks and having a depending" stem provided with a lower horizontally extending portion, cranked arms connected to the opposite sides of the trunk section, and members connected to the cranked arms and yieldingly engageable with, the upper edges of the opposite end portions of the horizontal stem part for holding the garment hanger in position on the tracks. V v 2. A garment hanger retainer, comprismga wardrobe trunk section having spaced hanger tracks in its upper portion, a' garment hanger suspended from the tracks and having a depending stem provided with a lower horizontally extending portion, cranked arms connected to the opposite sides of the trunk section, connecting members connected at one end to the cranked portions of the arms, links pivotally conn-ectingrthe opposite ends of the connecting members to the side portions of the trunk section, and yielding members carried by the connecting members and engageable with the upper edges of the opposite end portion of the horizontal stem part for holding the garment hanger in position on the tracks.

3. A garment hanger retainer, comprising a wardrobe trunk section having spaced hanger tracks in its upper portion, garment hangers slidably mounted on the tracks and having depending stems provided with lower horizontally extending portions,

cranked arms pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the trunk section and having end handles, connecting members connected at one end to the cranked portions of the arms, links pivotally connecting the opposite ends of the connecting members to the side portions of the trunk section, and elongated yielding members carried by the connecting members and engageable with the upperedgesof the opposite end portions of the horizontal stem parts for holding the garment hangers in position on the tracks.

l. A garment hanger retainer, comprising a wardrobe trunk section having spaced hanger tracks, in its upper portion, garment hangers slidably mounted on the tracks and having depending stems provided with lower horizontally extending portions, cranked arms pivotally'oonnected to the 0pposite sides of the trunk section, and having end handles, connecting-members connected at one end to the cranked portions of the arms, links pivotally connecting the opposite ends. of the connecting'members-to the side portions of the trunk. section, elongated yielding members carried by the connecting members and engageable with the upper edges of the opposite end portions of the horizontal stem parts for holding the garment hangers in, position onthe tracks,

and means for locking the cranked arms in ment hangers slidably mounted on the tracks and having depending stems provided with lower horizontally expenting portions, brackets mounted on the opposite sides of the trunk section and having angular por tions adjacent the horizontal ends of the hanger stems which incline upwardly and towards each other, cranked arms pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the trunk section and having end handles, connecting members connected at one end to the cranked portions of the arms, links pivotally connecting the opposite ends of the connecting members to the side portions of thetrunk section, and elongated yielding members carried by the connecting members and engageable with the upper edges of the opposite ondportions of the horizontal stem parts for holding the garment hanger in position on the tracks.

6. A garment hanger retainer, comprising a wardrobe trunk section having spaced hanger tracks in its upper portion, endwise reversible garment hanger tracks slidably mounted on the tracks and having depending stems provided with lower horizontally extending portions, cranked arms pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the trunk section and having end handles, connecting members connected at one end to the cranked holding the the tracks.

In testimon tures.

garment hangers in position on y whereof, we aifix our signal0 JULIUS RITTER', JR. MARTIN RASMUSSEN. 

